TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Legislator Wang Shih-cheng (王世堅) leads Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), Taiwan's ruling party, contenders for Taipei mayor with 33% support among independents, a comparative poll showed Wednesday (Nov. 26). Enoch Wu (吳怡農) placed second at 11.3%, followed by legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) at 8.6%. Deputy Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) polled 5.9%, while former DPP Secretary-General Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) received 2.8%.
Wu, who commissioned and released the comparative poll, emphasized the DPP must base candidate selection on scientific data rather than intuition. He argued political decisions should use scientific methods and objective analysis, not feelings, particularly in Taipei's competitive political landscape where margins are narrow. The DPP must choose the most competitive candidate to win control of Taiwan's capital city in upcoming elections, Wu said.
Wu cited a major recall election as evidence that election predictions need scientific foundations rather than intuition or guesswork. The DPP's nomination process should adopt scientific approaches and data-driven analysis to identify the strongest candidates, not depend on gut feelings or personal preferences, he asserted. The recall election outcome inspired him to realize forecasts require rigorous scientific basis rather than subjective feelings, Wu said.
Wu addressed criticism from DPP commentators, advocating for calm and constructive discussions to achieve the party's shared goals of winning Taipei. He expressed commitment to building a better and more progressive Taipei through evidence-based campaigning. Wu acknowledged he might not change everyone's views, but the choice of which path to take should test each individual's character and commitment to the party. ◼